Retaining value with Intel

[ClayDavid]

I want to buy the new Merom MBP, and I want to sell it off a year or two from now and get the next version (santa rosa, etc.).

My question: Now that Macs are Intel and the updates to hardware are apparently going to come much more quickly than before, will the Macs still retain their value like they once did?

Is selling your old Mac and shelling out a few hundred for the newest update still going to be a viable option in the future, or is the value drop going to be so large after a year or two that it is no longer worth it?

 

[topgunn]

I want to buy the new Merom MBP, and I want to sell it off a year or two from now and get the next version (santa rosa, etc.).

My question: Now that Macs are Intel and the updates to hardware are apparently going to come much more quickly than before, will the Macs still retain their value like they once did?

Is selling your old Mac and shelling out a few hundred for the newest update still going to be a viable option in the future, or is the value drop going to be so large after a year or two that it is no longer worth it?

Well, which is more important, the age of the Mac or the number of updates since the machine was released? The G5 Power Mac 2.0GHz held its value extremely well because it was always included in the product lineup. You will never see a computer hold its value longer than the original top-of-the-line Power Mac G5.

If updates come more frequently to the various product lines, then there will be a corresponding drop in value. For example, if the iMac was previously updated every 1 year, then your two year old PowerPC iMac would be two generations old. Now, if the Intel iMac is updated every 6 months, then a 2 year old iMac will be 4 generations old.

 

[poppe]

Well, which is more important, the age of the Mac or the number of updates since the machine was released? The G5 Power Mac 2.0GHz held its value extremely well because it was always included in the product lineup. You will never see a computer hold its value longer than the original top-of-the-line Power Mac G5.

If updates come more frequently to the various product lines, then there will be a corresponding drop in value. For example, if the iMac was previously updated every 1 year, then your two year old PowerPC iMac would be two generations old. Now, if the Intel iMac is updated every 6 months, then a 2 year old iMac will be 4 generations old.

Very well put.

Just another note. If you search on Ebay, for Mac products, you find the intels still cost a but load... Me waiting for Merom as well, would have liked a Mac Mini to have fun with over the summer... But the cheapest I could ever ever find was 500... Now I know there hasn't been another generation, but they seem to still be holding well. And I think they will still hold well (perhaps not like the PPC processors) but will hold well because there are alot of people out there that would just like a Mac, but Can't afford the Price tag...

 

[celebrian23]

I expect intel to decrease the value of mac computers. The transitions are going to start becoming much more quickly. I think the question is, by how much, not if it will happen

 

[erikamsterdam]

I think they will hold their value pretty well, much more than PC's. That is because a lot of people are interested in second hand Macs to save money. And when there is decent demand you get a decent price.
Thing is there are no budget Macs like there are $300 PC's. Then your only option is used.

 

[xfiftyfour]

I think they will hold their value pretty well, much more than PC's. That is because a lot of people are interested in second hand Macs to save money. And when there is decent demand you get a decent price.
Thing is there are no budget Macs like there are $300 PC's. Then your only option is used.

I agree with this. I think compared to PCs, Macs will hold their value a little bit better. BUT I think compared to PPC Macs, Intel Macs will depreciate a lot faster, since revisions and updates will come at us a lot quicker than they used to.

 

[Demon Hunter]

It will still be higher than a PC's resale value, because Macs have less market share, top–notch craftsmanship, materials and parts.

 

[buffalo]

... top–notch craftsmanship,

sorry if this is a dumb comment, but are the Chinese workers that make Macs really any more skilled than the one's making the Dells?

 

[poppe]

sorry if this is a dumb comment, but are the Chinese workers that make Macs really any more skilled than the one's making the Dells?

Probably not, but the higher grade materials are...

 

[Demon Hunter]

sorry if this is a dumb comment, but are the Chinese workers that make Macs really any more skilled than the one's making the Dells?

The actual design of the hardware is superior (I call that craftsmanship).

 

[macdaddy121]

I don't see the prices dropping much if any. Yes, new chips will come out but Macs retain there value because they have superior build quality and software. When you buy a used Mac you know that it won't constanly crash and have the bugs that most used PCs could have.